International
Robin Williams to play prez Eisenhower
MUMBAI: The otherwise hirsute Robin Williams will be going bald for his next acting stint as President Dwight D. Eisenhower in Lee Daniel‘s The Butler.
The true story of Eugene Allen, a White House employee who served eight First Families over the course of three decades, The Butler is scheduled to start rolling later this month in New Orleans. Its cast also includes Forest Whitaker, Oprah Winfrey, Vanessa Redgrave, Terrence Howard, John Cusack, Alan Rickman, Jane Fonda and Colman Domingo among others.
Danny Strong wrote the script with Daniels based on Wil Haygood‘s Washington Post article about Allen. Daniels also is producing the film with Hilary Shor, Cassian Elwes and Pam Williams for Laura Zisken Productions.
Williams will follow up that assignment with the starring role in Phil Alden Robinson‘s The Angriest Man in Brooklyn.
In The Angriest Man In Brooklyn, the veteran will star opposite Mila Kunis, Peter Dinklage, Melissa Leo and James Earl Jones. The film, set to begin filming in Brooklyn in September is the story of a stand-in doctor who mistakenly tells an obnoxious patient that he has only 90 minutes to live. The medic tries desperately to locate the man after her comments sends him on a contrite tour of the city to right all the wrongs in his life.
Robinson will direct from a screenplay by Daniel Taplitz. Landscape‘s Bob Cooper and Tyler Mitchell are producing with Daniel J. Walker. Jean-Charles Levy serves as executive producer.
International
Russia-India cinematic spectacle Persimmon of My Love set for grand Moscow debut
Hindi cinema style musical revives Indo-Soviet cinema ties for today
MUMBAI: A new chapter in cross-border storytelling is set to unfold as Persimmon of My Love gears up for its premiere in Moscow on 1 April 2026, marking the first large-scale cinematic collaboration between Russia and India in decades.
Positioned as a modern nod to the cultural exchange that once brought Indian classics to Soviet audiences, the film blends Hindi cinema flair with Russian storytelling, aiming to rekindle a long-standing cinematic friendship.
Directed by Marius Weisberg, the musical comedy follows two brothers navigating a lively world of music, family and romance. The lead roles are played by Demis Karibidis and Mikhail Galustyan, with Karibidis also contributing as a screenwriter.
Shot entirely in India, the production leans heavily into Hindi cinema style spectacle. Filming took place across Mumbai studios and the cities of Udaipur and Jodhpur, whose architecture was used to create the fictional setting of Khurmada. A crew of over 350 worked on the project, with large-scale sequences featuring up to 1,000 extras.
The film also brings Indian creative talent into the mix. Dance sequences are choreographed by Jay Kumar, while music by Zurab Matua features songs in both Hindi and Russian, adding to its cross-cultural appeal.
Backed by TNT channel, MyWayStudio and the Russian Cinema Fund, the project reflects a broader push to strengthen cultural ties between the two countries.
With its mix of colour, comedy and cross-border collaboration, Persimmon of My Love is not just a film release but a reminder that cinema, much like music, travels well across borders.
